


A Nice Day to Start Again

by misaffection



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-29
Updated: 2011-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-28 10:33:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misaffection/pseuds/misaffection
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’d been together eighteen months but hadn’t spoken about the future, not even once. His declaration of a desire to spend the rest of his life with her had come completely out of the blue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Nice Day to Start Again

Sam’s reflection stares back at her, but she barely recognises the woman in the mirror. A hiccup of memory brings to mind a photograph of herself wearing the same colour and with flowers in her hair, laughing in Jack’s arms. Her father wanted her to be happy, and she is. She just doesn’t think this is what he intended. She can’t help but think he would be disappointed.

The door to hotel suite opens and Daniel saunters in, pausing as she turns. He smiles. “You look beautiful.”

Her hands skim over the white skirt of her dress. It’s simple, really; a sheath of white satin with pale blue lace over the bodice. A nod at normality when this union is anything but.

Her gaze skits past him to the door. “Did anyone actually turn up?”

Daniel gives a soft laugh. “Of course they did. We want to see you happy, Sam.”

That’s not been particularly obvious. She fingers the ring on her finger. “Yeah, that’s why I got a line of people at my door telling me that I was crazy after he proposed.”

She can still feel surprise at that memory. They’d been together eighteen months but hadn’t spoken about the future, not even once. His declaration of a desire to spend the rest of his life with her had come completely out of the blue. She thinks that she shocked them both by saying yes.

But here they are anyway; after several arguments with Landry, the IOA and Homeland Security. It is surreal and she wonders at what point she’ll wake up to find it all a very crazy dream.

“It took us by surprise, that’s all.” Daniel puts his arms around her and she leans into his embrace. It’s been a very hard year and a half, and his constant support is about the only thing that’s held her together. “No one expected him to be the one to ask.”

Sam chuckles. “That includes me. I still have no idea where that came from.”

“He loves you.”

Three words that fill her with awe and disbelief, even now. “Yeah, but I’m still getting over that.”

“Eh, don’t look at me – I’ve no idea why you two are together. It works, though.”

“The universe is a very strange place.”

“Indeed,” Daniel intones, and sends them both into giggles. The door opens again. “Oh, yeah, that’s what I was going to tell you. Um. I’ll... leave you to it.”

“Daniel!” She stares at his retreating back, betrayal leaving her cold. It takes her a lot of effort to look at her new guest. She’s not seen him in months and their last meeting ended in a screaming match. Sam lifts her chin and thumbs her engagement ring. “Jack.”

He stands, hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers, looking like the echo of the memory. She shivers, because it scares her how so far they are from that reality. She still loves him and probably always will, but her heart is someone else’s and she knows he hates whom she’s chosen.

“Carter,” he says, then shakes his head. “Sam.”

“Come to talk me out of it?” Bitterness laces her tone. She never asked him to be okay with it, never expected him to be, but she’d hoped for more support and it kills her that he didn’t.

Jack sighs. “No. I wanted... Sam, I’m sorry. I should have...” He looks up, his gaze taking her in. A pained smile twists his mouth. “You look lovely.”

“Thank you.” She can at least be civil, she supposes. “I’m surprised that you showed up.”

“I’m not planning on distrupting it, if that’s what you think,” he tells her. She was, if she’s honest, given how little she’s seen him since her engagement. “I wanted to wish you the best.”

“What, considering what I’m marrying?”

He flinches when she throws that back at him. “I shouldn’t have said that. I might not get it, but this is your choice. I should have respected that.”

She glares at him. “Yeah, you should have.” But she can’t stay mad at him, especially not today. “I never meant to hurt you, Jack. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him. It... just happened.” The gold band that supports a single solitaire digs into her finger. “Not that I regret it. I just wish it had been more acceptable.”

“I’m trying, Sam.”

“If only the IOA would.”

“They’ll come round. I think the speed took them by surprise.”

“It’s been eighteen months. How long would have been long enough?”

His smile is sad. “You might have a point.” He paces then, and she knows something is coming and braces. When he stops, he asks, “You are sure about this, yeah?”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, Jack. I’m absolutely definitely sure that I want to marry the man who loves me enough to give up the entire galaxy and is willing to suffer the IOA’s tests and eternal questions just to be with me.”

He nods. “Then it would be my honour to give you away.”

Of all the things she was expecting, that was the very last. She takes it as the olive branch she hopes that it is. “Thanks, Jack.”

“I suppose he’s not that bad.”

She laughs and takes his arm. After all, she’s already four minutes late: any longer and Baal will start blowing things up, because patience is not his strongest asset. They walk from the suite and down to the ballroom. The doors swing open and she has to blink hard because everyone has turned up. Even Woolsey stands with half smile on his face.

“Oh,” she breathes and Jack squeezes her hand. “We want to see you happy,” he says.

There’s a scary moment that she thinks she’ll actually burst into tears, but somehow she manages to hold it together. Then her startled gaze falls on the single figure waiting at the other end of the aisle and she’s suddenly really glad that she omitted mascara.

All of the SGC might be packed into the room, but as she and Jack walk towards the small table with its lace covering and spray of flowers, they fade into insignificance. If he’s bothered by her lateness, it doesn’t show. He is calm and regal, a touch of arrogance in his expression when he realises who’s escorting her to him. Sam gives him a look and his grin just spreads.

Jack passes her hand to Baal’s with only the barest hesitation. “Be good to her,” is all he says and Baal bows his head in acceptance of that censure.

Sam licks her lips. Her heart is pounding and she’s still expecting to wake up at any moment. Brown eyes flicker over her body and the smirk is in place. “Not bad,” he allows.

“Gee, thanks. I guess you’ll do as well.” In reality, he looks gorgeous and she wants to tear the suit off his broad shoulders. Nodding at the celebrant, she asks. “Shall we?”

“Unless you want to elope, but I heard a rumour that there was cake and jello later.”

“I knew there was a good reason that I was marrying you.”

He chuckles, then waves an imperious hand at the patiently waiting celebrant. No one voices any dissent, probably because Baal gives the room the sort of look that would kill anyone foolish enough to raise a hand, and they move smoothly onto the vows that bind her to the most impossible individual in the entire galaxy and him to her.

He never pauses, never sounds anything but utterly sure. She is just as certain and her voice is clear in the hushed silence. But her breath hitches as Baal slides the gold wedding ring onto her finger. She swallows hard and meets his eyes.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the celebrant informs them with obvious glee (and Sam suspects no idea as to what her husband actually is) before adding the immortal words, “You may now kiss the bride.”

Of course Baal has no concept of an acceptable clinch. Or maybe he does and just ignores conventions. Either way, Sam’s arms end up around his neck and she’s only vaguely aware of the applause as his tongue plunders her mouth.

She breaks away before they do far more than simply kiss. Someone that she suspects is Vala voices disappointment and Baal gives a dramatic sigh. “After the jello,” she promises him even as they are surrounded by friends and well wishes. It’s all rather overwhelming to have so much acceptance after so long of going without. Sam blinks rapidly, then sees Baal smiling at her. His expression is all warmth and love and her heart swells. She reaches out and takes his hand.

As his fingers link with hers, she thinks that maybe her father wouldn’t be that disappointed after all.


End file.
